Personal Envoys

Mrs. Gillan:
To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to appoint further personal envoys. [145265]

The Prime Minister[holding answer 15 January 2001]: I have no such plans.

Hammond Inquiry

Mr. Baker:
To ask the Prime Minister if the inquiry under Sir Anthony Hammond will consider issues relating to sponsorship of the Millennium Dome. [148367]

The Prime Minister[holding answer 2 February 2001]: All relevant information will be made available to Sir Anthony Hammond in so far as it relates to the terms of reference of his review.

Hinduja Brothers

Mr. Soames:
To ask the Prime Minister when Lord Levy met the Hinduja brothers at the House of Lords on behalf of the Government to confirm their sponsorship of the dome; what instructions he was given; what report he made of the meeting; and to whom. [148624]

The Prime Minister:
At the request of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC), Lord Levy attended a meeting on 29 October 1998 with the then Chief Executive of NMEC and representatives of the Hinduja Foundation to discuss their potential support of the Faith zone in the Millennium Dome.

5 Feb 2001 : Column: 392W

HEALTH

Waiting Lists

Mr. Quentin Davies:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients have been waiting more than one year for an (a) out-patient and (b) in-patient (i) surgical intervention and (ii) other secondary medical treatment; and what the comparable figures were for (A) 1995, (B) 1990, (C) 1985 and (D) 1980. [143341]

Mr. Denham:
Information on people waiting over a year for an out-patient appointment is not collected centrally. The in-patient information is given in the table.

Patients waiting for elective admission

Trust-based figures

Months/waiting

Surgical acute specialties

Other specialties

Position at 31 March 1980(10)

Total waiting

(11)--

(11)--

12 months plus

(11)--

(11)--

18 months plus

(11)--

(11)--

Position at 31 March 1985(10)

Total waiting

(11)--

(11)--

12 months plus

(11)--

(11)--

18 months plus

(11)--

(11)--

Position at 31 March 1990

Total waiting

922,953

36,023

12 months plus

203,517

4,343

18 months plus

(11)--

(11)--

Position at 31 March 1995

Total waiting

979,622

64,429

12 months plus

31,541

653

18 months plus

279

1

Position at 30 September 2000(12)

Total waiting

960,241

71,583

12 months plus

50,118

997

18 months plus

2

0

(10) Ordinary admissions only

(11) Not collected separately

(12) Latest figures available by specialty

Source:

Department of Health form KH07 completed by NHS Trusts

Correspondence

Mrs. Roe:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Broxbourne, of 31 October, 22 November, 22 December 2000 and 18 January 2001, relating to Mr. Derek Frank Finch of Cheshunt. [146895]

Mr. Denham [holding answer 23 January 2001]: A reply to the hon. Member's letter was sent on the 31 January.

MMR

Miss Kirkbride:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection he plans to offer to women who have not received the rubella vaccination since MMR was introduced in 1988; and how many women of child- bearing age his Department estimates are not innoculated against rubella. [147485]

5 Feb 2001 : Column: 393W

Yvette Cooper [holding answer 26 January 2001]: All women are tested for rubella susceptibiltiy in their first pregnancy. Any found to be sero-negative are recommended to be immunised after the pregnancy. This programme, along with the surveillance of rubella susceptibility of the antenatal population, has been maintained since the introduction of measles, mumps and rubella. Since there has never been a programme to immunise women of child-bearing age, except those sero-negative, it is not possible to know how many women of child-bearing age are not immunised.

It is not possible to estimate the number of women who have not been innoculated against rubella. In 1995, the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation recommended that rubella immunisation for schoolgirls could cease due to the high level of immunisation through either the MMR campaign started in 1988 or the MR campaign in 1994.

Acquired Brain Injury

Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what support his Department offers to people with acquired brain injury; [147954]

(2) what percentage and number of those with acquired brain injury are provided with rehabilitation services; [147966]

(3) what plans he has to help individuals with acquired brain injury back into work; [147955]

(4) what percentage of people with brain injury are provided with rehabilitation services. [147972]

Mr. Denham:
Support and treatment depends on the extent of the injury and can, where appropriate, include specialised rehabilitation. The aim of treatment is, wherever possible, to restore the person to the state of health they enjoyed before the injury happened. Our policy is that all patients who need rehabilitation services should have access to them.

Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to local health, employment and social services in Greater Manchester on funding for vocational rehabilitation for individuals with acquired brain injury. [147956]

Mr. Denham:
We do not give individual guidance to local health, employment and social services on what services to provide for their populations. Health authorities in partnership with primary care groups/trusts and other local stakeholders are responsible for assessing the health needs of their populations and commissioning services to meet those needs.

Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of people with acquired brain injury do not walk again. [147967]

Mr. Denham:
Around 1 million people a year receive a head injury in the United Kingdom and some 100,000 of those attend hospital. Each year at least 2,000 adults suffer permanent serious impairments. We do not keep statistics, however, on whether patients are left unable to walk as a result of their injury.

Ms Blears:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average age of a person diagnosed with acquired brain injury; [147965]

5 Feb 2001 : Column: 394W

(2) what the average age is of a person diagnosed with a brain injury. [147969]

Mr. Denham:
We do not analyse the incidence of brain injury by age. However, a 1999 report from the Royal College of Surgeons, on the management of head injury, found that around half of the people who attend hospital with a head injury are under 16 years of age.

Mr. Woolas:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial support his Department offers to people with acquired brain injury in Greater Manchester; and if he will make a statement. [147970]

Mr. Denham:
We do not provide funding for individual patients. It is for health authorities, in partnership with primary care groups/trusts and other local stakeholders, to determine how best to use their funds to meet national and local priorities for improving health, tackling health inequalities and modernising services.

Social Services Inspectorate

Mr. Burstow:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the social services inspectorate follow up the findings and recommendations of the local government ombudsman in respect of maladministration by social services departments. [147321]

Mr. Hutton [holding answer 29 January 2001]: The Department expects local authorities to take all reports, and especially those in which there are adverse findings, of the local government ombudsman very seriously and to take appropriate action locally in the light of the ombudsman's recommendations. The ombudsman does not publish all of his judgments or routinely notify details of individual cases to the social services inspectorate. Thus, the inspectorate does not have a formal role in following up such recommendations. Should the inspectorate be notified of a decision, it may decide to take up the matter with the local authority to establish what action is being taken, but this will depend on the nature of the case and the ombudsman's recommendation.